Amusement apparatus



0d. 29, 1935. F. w. GIBSON AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed Dec. 3l, 1931 Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a game which may be played either out of doors on a suitably designed court, or indoors either on a court of the same size as that used out of doors or on a smaller course which may be supported by uprights of suitable height so that the players may either stand or be seated thereabout.

The game apparatus, besides my originally designed court, involves wickets, balls and mallets or other means of directing the ball during play, such apparatus being in themselves old and employed in many well known games such as croquet or roque, but when arranged in novel scheme in my new court produce new possibilities of play, and the development of new drives in order to employ the wide variety of plays made possible by the original construction of the court and the novel set up of the wickets thereon.

My court includes an inclined bank or glacis which provides a wide range of interesting curved or vertically resultant shots. A fineness and precision of play also is permitted and follows from my concept of the use of a napped or villous play surface. The interest of the peculiar play surface resulting from the utilization of the glacis sides of the courts is further enhanced in the corners where the sloping sides meet in right angles thus providing valleys or dales. These corner valleys or dales, together with the glacis, the resilient boundary of the court and the particular and novel arrangement of the wickets with relation thereto permits many new stroke possibilities as well as develop-ment of skill and precision in play.

As will be later explained, the nap or villous surface of the court provides for a deniteness of movement of the rolling or rotating ball so that even the challenge of the curving glacis shots may be met with confidence.

When the apparatus illustrated is used outdoors, it not only eliminates the factor of unevenness of the turf, but as well the disadvantage of varying lengths of grass which required constant mowing or cutting.

Obviously, the court may be either square or rectangular in outline. When used indoors it is convenient to use a square court as more adapted to the dimensions of the average room. When the game is played as a table game, the square court is preferable, as the players may, if they prefer, play in seated position each from his own side of the court. In such case the physical position of the players enter into the theory of the game and all the players by remaining seated throughout the game have the same advantages and disadvantages in mjaking the required shots. As the square court is available for four players it permits partnership play and. the reversal of sides. Such schemes of play may be developed as part of the rules of the game and are referred 5 to herein to disclose the many possibilities of use of my court in its different sizes and shapes.

I may provide the boundary or rail for my court with a resilient lining or cushion which is positioned above the plane of the field and which is of advantage in many shots and of particular interest in connection with the corner play.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View of a court set up for a game ln accordance with my invention. l5

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail partly in one of the wickets.

Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the stakes, and

Fig. 6 a detail of one of the wicket holders.

When intended for indoor use, I usually employ as a court a base or foundation i for which I provide inclined edges by means of strips of wedge or modified wedge shape as at 2.

In constructing such a court, I provide a surfacing l0 of villous or nap-like character having a short but definite pile E01 of sufcient length and stiffness to provide a slight frictioning for the ball in its travel over the court. In addition to the usual straight shots for passing through a wicket or striking a stake or an opponents ball, I provide for carom shots or angle shots by permitting rebounds from the banks Il or cushion 6. In addition, and in fact in combination with such rebound, the new shots are shots made possible by my invention. One of these I have termed the glacis shot which in its simplest form consists in running the ball at a predetermined angle and speed up on to the inclined margin or glacis Il where its angle is modified into a curve of somewhat hyperbolic character. In such a shot the ball climbs the glacis to the desired height or level, then descends re-entering the flat field of play at some desired point, coming to rest at some position of advantage as ln front of a desired wicket, or if an opponents ball is at some unfavorable position for opponents next play.

My second new shot I term a valley or dale shot. This is diicult to accomplish but may be perfected by practice. It involves driving the ball up the glacis or margin near the right corner angle and so utilizing the slope of the glacis and the resiliency of the boundary that the ball is guided through a corner wicket which as hereinafter is pointed out is disposed diagonally of they court and which may or may not be erected partly in the valley or dale formed in the corner, according to the hazards sought in any particular contest.

By the regulation of stroke by the mallet or other implement employed, the ball may be given a definite rotation so as to travel as on a horizontal axis and when so played on a slightly frictioning surface the movement of the ball becomes denite and uniform with somewhat of a gyroscopic tendency to hold to the predeter-L mined course. This makes it possible to use the glacis or valley shots without having the ball slip or skid. Such shots may be played with great deniteness and with a minimum of momentum. That is, it is possible to make slow curving Dosition shots which add new possibilities to this type of game.

As stated above, the ball may be struck with any preferred device whether in the nature of a mallet, club or cue. I prefer an implement of the mallet type because it is more convenient in giving to the ball that sharp clean tap which will best set it rolling over the friction surface. Furthermore, the mallet has a traditional place in the equipment of games of the croquet type and, in games of an amusement or recreational character, the older traditions have a definite value that I believe should be preserved.

As indicated, the court preferably may be so constructed that the outer edges of the inclined border Il are enclosed by a bank or rail 5 which entirely surrounds the court. On the inner side of the rail or bank 5, I provide, as in billiards, a resilient strip or cushion 6.

In accordance with my concept, wickets are required and for such 'I provide a simple and eX- pedient device. Wickets such as are indicated at 'l are provided with collars 'l1 beneath which are portions 'l2 adapted to enter and frictionally to be held in pocket member 8 which may be sunken in the court or so disposed beneath the villous surfacing IU in the base l as to position the upper flanges 81 thereof just over the surfacing Ill. If desired, similar bottom flanges may be provided through which the pockets 8 are secured to the base l. Instead of wickets, I may use other items or hazards. The stakes 9 as shown are of similar construction and intended to be held in a similar pocket 8.

The wickets l are of the general type usually employed in croquet, but in my new game they are so disposed in the court as to require new curved shots which usually involve the use of the glacis Il and frequently of the cushion 6. The plays actually made depend on the judgment and skill of the player but the arrangement of the wickets is such that in order to pass'through the same, the curved or rebounding shots are necessary. While the set up of the court may be varied, the arrangement described in Fig. 1 produces a very satisfactory game calling for much skill with the mallet and fine judgment in direction of stroke in order to take full advantage of the possibilities of curved and rebound strokes afforded by my new court.

The arrangement of the wickets as disclosed is wholly novel, except for the goal wickets A and B which are disposed a suitable play distance from the stakes 9. Centre wickets C are provided but I preferably cross two such wickets in order to provide different paths for the ball during its advance from and to the stake 9.

The positioning of the corner wickets D is less difficult according to how far up the val- 5 ley V the wicket is set. I provide a plurality of pockets 8 in each valley so that the wicket may be changed as desired.

Various games may be played with my apparatus. As a possible interesting round of play 10 I suggest the following:

A ball is driven through the wicket A toward the glacis Il adjacent the nearest of the corner wickets D so that the same, by reason of the slope of the glacis will follow a curved path through 15 the corner wicket in the valley V. As appears from Fig. 1, once through the first corner wicket D1 the ball is to be directed toward the crossed centre wickets C through which vit is shot to a side wicket E which it enters from the outside. 20 In order to accomplish this shot, again my glacis Il and cushion 6 are of advantage in permitting a rebound or curved stroke.

In the illustrative set up, the next objective of the ball is the valley or corner D2 from which 25 it is returned to the centre wickets C from which point it is guided according to the skill of the player and the conditions of play resulting from the attacks of opposing players successively through the valley and corner wicket D3, back to 30 the centre C, thence to the wicket F, to the corner D4, back to the center C and hence to the goal post 9.

The interesting factor in the present combination is that of surface possibilities on the play 35 area. The possibility of control of a ball by definite directional propulsion puts a premium on skill.

The base or surface l0 is of such character as to permit and encourage effort in definite and 40' scientific practice. Such a surface, as I conceive it, must have a certain amount of friction and yet allow free movement. As illustrated, the same consists in a fabric surface l having a. surface pile lill. The fabric o r weave is unim- 45. portant but the villous surface has the important factor of control.

The court of Fig. 1 is square, but obviously this may be of any suitable outline and still be within my invention, provided the glacis Il valley V or 50 cushion S and/or set up of wickets permits of the play of the rebound and curved shots which are possible in my game and which are not possible in other known similar games.

Various modifications in the construction of 55' the field and the manner of afxing the play equipment thereto obviously also may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by 0o Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a court having a flat central area, an inclined margin thereabout, and a wicket partially disposed on said inclined margin, a ball and a mallet u whereby said ball may be driven up said incline and through said wicket, said incline imparting a distinctive curved motion to said ball during its travel on returning to said court.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a 70 court having a flat central area, an inclined margin thereabout, a wicket diagonally of said court and disposed partially on said inclined margin,

a ball and a mallet whereby said ball may be driven up said incline and through said Wicket, Il

said incline imparting a distinctive curved motion to said ball during its travel on returning to said court.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising a court having a flat central area, an inclined margin thereabout, a wicket disposed in the corner and diagonally of said court and partially on said inclined margin, a ball and a mallet whereby said ball may be driven up said incline and through said wicket, said incline imparting a distinctive curved motion to said ball during its travel on returning to said court.

4. An amusement apparatus comprising a foursided court having a flat central area and an inclined margin on each side thereof, said margins joining to form a valley in each corner, a wicket in said valley and partially disposed on the incline thereof, a ball and a mallet whereby said ball may be driven up said incline and through said wicket, said incline imparting a distinctive curved motion to said ball during its travel on returning to said court.

5. An amusement apparatus comprising a foursided court having a flat central area and an inclined margin on each side thereof, said margins joining to form a valley in each corner, a wicket in said valley and disposed diagonally of said court, a ball and a mallet whereby said ball may be driven up said incline and through said wicket, said incline imparting a distinctive curved m0- ton to said ball during its travel on returning to said court.

6. An amusement apparatus comprising a four sided court having a central member providing a play field, said central member adjacent its edge including an upwardly rising border providing an inclined margin for said field, the adjoining side members defining inclined valleys angularly disposed relative to said play area, a mallet, a ball, and a plurality of wickets one mounted in each of said valleys and extending diagonally of the court, the inclined margin of said eld imparting to balls driven thereover through said diagonally disposed wickets, a distinctive curved motion.

7. An amusement apparatus comprising a four sided court having a central member providing a play iield, said central member adjacent its edge including an upwardly rising border providing an inclined margin for said field, the adi joining side members defining inclined valleys angularly disposed relative to said play area, a mallet, a ball, and a plurality of wickets one mounted in each of said valleys and extending diagonally of the court, a pair of crossed wickets 10 so mounted in the middle of said court that the space between adjacent legs thereof is in alinement with said diagonally disposed channel wickets, the inclined margin of said field imparting to balls driven thereover through said di- 15 agonally disposed wickets, a distinctive curved i motion tending to direct said ball through said space between said adjacent legs of said crossed wickets.

8. An amusement apparatus comprising a four 0 sided court having a central member providing a play eld, said central member adjacent its edge including an upwardly rising border providing an inclined margin for said eld, a mallet, a ball., and a wicket, one leg of said wicket being g5 disposed on said inclined margin, the inclined margin imparting to balls, driven thereover through said wicket, a distinctive curved motion.

9. An amusement apparatus comprising a four sided court having a central member providing a play eld, said central member adjacent its edge including an upwardly rising border providing an inclined margin for said iield, a mallet,

a ball, and a wicket, one leg of said wicket being disposed on said inclined margin diagonally of the court, a pair of crossed wickets so mounted in the middle of said court that the space between adjacent legs thereof is in alinement with said diagonally disposed marginal Wicket, the inclined margin imparting to balls driven thereover through said diagonal wickets, a distinctive curved motion tending to direct said ball through said space between said adjacent legs of said crossed wickets.

FRANCIS W. GIBSON. 

